Fischer 'allowed' to move to Iceland

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Japan will let detained US-born chess legend Bobby Fischer move
to Iceland which has granted him citizenship, refusing US demands
to extradite him to the United States where he faces prison, news
agencies said yesterday.

Jiji Press and Kyodo News said the Japanese justice ministry
made the decision after Iceland presented documents showing Fischer
was one of its citizens.

Fischer, now 62, was detained in July as he tried to fly out of
Japan to the Philippines on an allegedly invalid US passport.

The chess legend, known for his outspoken criticism of the
United States, faces 10 years in prison for defying US sanctions on
Yugoslavia by playing a game there in 1992 amid the Balkan
wars.

The parliament of Iceland, where Fischer played his most famous
match in 1972, granted him citizenship on Monday as he looked set
to be sent to the United States.